Spiritual Warfare!

I am preaching from Ephesians 6:10-20 on Sunday and I am really looking forward to sharing what the Bible has to teach about Spiritual Warfare. We need to talk about this topic because there are many bizarre ideas out there on how to approach SW.

I personally have encountered demonic attack ranging from dramatic power encounters through to more subtle and subversive false teaching through to struggles with personal temptation. All of us encounter demonic attack from time to time, especially Christians because as a prime target we represent everything that darkness hates – light.

Our approach to SW is informed by our worldview and whether its shaped by the Bible itself. The biblical position on Satan is that Christ has defeated, disarmed and defanged him on the cross. One of the devils tactics is to make the individual Christian think that you don’t have what you already have, which is the upper hand. Don’t try to win what Christ has already secured for you. If you try to win what is already yours, it becomes an exercise in self-righteousness. Paul calls us in Ephesians 6 to stand in the victory by faith, that Christ has already secured.

Defending against attack’s from spiritual forces of darkness requires you to know your enemy. Satan is our adversary, accuser, tempter, father of lies, imitator – not creator, masquerades himself as an angel of light and most definitely not like God…although he tried hard to be like God and started an insurrection in the heavenlies and was cast down to the earth.

Our response to SW must include taking responsibility for our actions. We must remove all opportunity for the forces of darkness to gain authority in our lives. We must resist Satan when he attacks, submit to God, knowing that Satan will flee from us and we must ready ourselves for attack by putting on the full armour of God, not literally, but availing ourselves of the tools God has given to us, including: truth, righteousness, Gospel, faith, salvation, prayer and his word.

Remember, Stand strong in God and you won’t fall when Satan attacks you.

3 Responses to “Spiritual Warfare!”

GREAT preaching Corey. Simple – to the point. Hit it hard but straight. SW is HUGE – everything in essence forms a part of that battlefield. The war is won – you are correct – but you are also correct in that we have to stand and fight each battle as it comes – and wherever possible defuse the battle by seeing it coming in advance. Jade tells me great things of you so I am really looking forward to meeting you at Hillsong Conference next month.